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Im not the real OND wrote:I've banged on about Evans enough. I nailed my flag firmly to the mast long before he joined us and that hasn't changed.

But in a strange way, I can see past the antics. I don't like it, but its pretty obvious it's an act. Aimed at gaining a slight advantage (though I personally believe it works against him more often than not) or, as in this case and Grimsby, deflect from another poor managerial performance. Some see this as 'passion. Better to show emotion than stand there with your hands in your pockets. But, as ever with Evans, it's an act.

What I can't see past is his apparent lack of managerial nous. I must say, although I don't like him, I expected better. He has persisted with his chosen formation, trying to cram his players in regardless of suitability, and it hasn't worked in the majority of cases. Despite having arguably one of the most talented squads we've seen there remains a lack of flexibity. Substitutions are like for like swaps or are made to correct fairly obvious errors in the starting line up.

There has been little progression for me despite a successful recruitment campaign. He seems to have bought players that are great on paper, but ones that don't suit his preferred system. I am surprised that there isn't improvement in the teams shape, I have seen very little evidence of players or units improving since signing which suggests a lack of coaching and structure. Banging the best players into the first eleven does not make a team.

Defense has been weakened this season in my opinion. It certainly hasn't got better but has lost any attacking threat that his system relies on.

Midfield is all at sea which is unsurprising given we usually play with one central midfielder. The lack of a physical holding midfielder is costing us as I predicted preseason. Midfield quite simply isn't up for a fight.

On paper, the strikers have arguably improved. But if he is going to persist with the style and formation he likes, they are going to struggle. Again, if he wants to play the way he is, he has bought the wrong players.

My prediction is that he is out putting feelers to other clubs as we speak and will be gone in January after giving Radford another shopping list and getting short shrift. Of course this won't be his fault. He won't have had the backing, previous manager, fans without perspective, bad referees etc etc.

Im not the real OND wrote:I've banged on about Evans enough. I nailed my flag firmly to the mast long before he joined us and that hasn't changed.

But in a strange way, I can see past the antics. I don't like it, but its pretty obvious it's an act. Aimed at gaining a slight advantage (though I personally believe it works against him more often than not) or, as in this case and Grimsby, deflect from another poor managerial performance. Some see this as 'passion. Better to show emotion than stand there with your hands in your pockets. But, as ever with Evans, it's an act.

What I can't see past is his apparent lack of managerial nous. I must say, although I don't like him, I expected better. He has persisted with his chosen formation, trying to cram his players in regardless of suitability, and it hasn't worked in the majority of cases. Despite having arguably one of the most talented squads we've seen there remains a lack of flexibity. Substitutions are like for like swaps or are made to correct fairly obvious errors in the starting line up.

There has been little progression for me despite a successful recruitment campaign. He seems to have bought players that are great on paper, but ones that don't suit his preferred system. I am surprised that there isn't improvement in the teams shape, I have seen very little evidence of players or units improving since signing which suggests a lack of coaching and structure. Banging the best players into the first eleven does not make a team.

Defense has been weakened this season in my opinion. It certainly hasn't got better but has lost any attacking threat that his system relies on.

Midfield is all at sea which is unsurprising given we usually play with one central midfielder. The lack of a physical holding midfielder is costing us as I predicted preseason. Midfield quite simply isn't up for a fight.

On paper, the strikers have arguably improved. But if he is going to persist with the style and formation he likes, they are going to struggle. Again, if he wants to play the way he is, he has bought the wrong players.

My prediction is that he is out putting feelers to other clubs as we speak and will be gone in January after giving Radford another shopping list and getting short shrift. Of course this won't be his fault. He won't have had the backing, previous manager, fans without perspective, bad referees etc etc.

James wrote:I'm sorry, but none of us can moan about his antics on the sidelines. We all knew full well what we were signing up for when he joined, we'd seen it first hand when he was at Crawley. Pretty much every single fan was behind the appointment, we can't moan now we've had one bad result & a couple of below average performances.

FWIW, I thought his interview after the game was one of his best since being here. No excuses, and fully admitted we were tripe.

When you say ` pretty much every single fan was behind his appointment you are most definitely wrong. Not only myself, but quite a lot of other contributors to this forum warned and predicted not only about his behaviour but also about his utter lack of coaching skills and his complete disregard for developing young players.

James wrote:I'm sorry, but none of us can moan about his antics on the sidelines. We all knew full well what we were signing up for when he joined, we'd seen it first hand when he was at Crawley. Pretty much every single fan was behind the appointment, we can't moan now we've had one bad result & a couple of below average performances.

FWIW, I thought his interview after the game was one of his best since being here. No excuses, and fully admitted we were tripe.

When you say ` pretty much every single fan was behind his appointment you are most definitely wrong. Not only myself, but quite a lot of other contributors to this forum warned and predicted not only about his behaviour but also about his utter lack of coaching skills and his complete disregard for developing young players.

Im not the real OND wrote:I've banged on about Evans enough. I nailed my flag firmly to the mast long before he joined us and that hasn't changed.

But in a strange way, I can see past the antics. I don't like it, but its pretty obvious it's an act. Aimed at gaining a slight advantage (though I personally believe it works against him more often than not) or, as in this case and Grimsby, deflect from another poor managerial performance. Some see this as 'passion. Better to show emotion than stand there with your hands in your pockets. But, as ever with Evans, it's an act.

What I can't see past is his apparent lack of managerial nous. I must say, although I don't like him, I expected better. He has persisted with his chosen formation, trying to cram his players in regardless of suitability, and it hasn't worked in the majority of cases. Despite having arguably one of the most talented squads we've seen there remains a lack of flexibity. Substitutions are like for like swaps or are made to correct fairly obvious errors in the starting line up.

There has been little progression for me despite a successful recruitment campaign. He seems to have bought players that are great on paper, but ones that don't suit his preferred system. I am surprised that there isn't improvement in the teams shape, I have seen very little evidence of players or units improving since signing which suggests a lack of coaching and structure. Banging the best players into the first eleven does not make a team.

Defense has been weakened this season in my opinion. It certainly hasn't got better but has lost any attacking threat that his system relies on.

Midfield is all at sea which is unsurprising given we usually play with one central midfielder. The lack of a physical holding midfielder is costing us as I predicted preseason. Midfield quite simply isn't up for a fight.

On paper, the strikers have arguably improved. But if he is going to persist with the style and formation he likes, they are going to struggle. Again, if he wants to play the way he is, he has bought the wrong players.

My prediction is that he is out putting feelers to other clubs as we speak and will be gone in January after giving Radford another shopping list and getting short shrift. Of course this won't be his fault. He won't have had the backing, previous manager, fans without perspective, bad referees etc etc.

I agree, especially with your last paragraph.

I also fear for his health when he's screaming and shouting at the officials like that.

If any of you have read 'The Journeyman' book you will know excactly how Evans runs the dressing room. He has 0% respect for players - no loyalty whatsoever, humiliates and solates key figures, unpredictable, eratic, telling players they are part his plans when secretly trying to sort out loan deals, playing childish mind-games to the point where him and Raynor become a bit of a joke.

There's a story about the Crawley team eating fish and chips on the coach on the way back from a game. Steve Evans was sulking and declined to eat but then changed his mind when he smelt them. He sent Raynor to the back of the bus to get his portion but they had all gone. Steve was apoplectic, cancelled their day off and had them in for training and intensive questioning over the fish and chips. Players who he thought were being dishonest about the chips were then dropped for the next few games. Funny and alarming in equal measures.

The turning point on Evans for me was Exeter at home last season and the run of games that followed. We surrendered a series of comfortable 1-0 leads by drastically changing tactics and sitting back in dominant games which ultimately cost us. I didn't like the way he continues to bad-mouth Murray yet it's clear for everyone to see that the best players in the squad are the ones that he brought in.

I've always thought that his touchline antics have nothing but a negative effect. I read in Cloughies autobiography that he went out of his way to be friendly to the officials and told his players to do the same.

We are still in an excellent position, yes it's taking longer than expected for Steve to find his best line-up. But all this talk of us being "favourites " has probably set our expectations unreasonably high. Since our return to the Football League we have made steady progress which is surely better than boom or bust.

And, let's face it, it's very, very sweet looking down on that lot the other side of the M1.

Madstagsfan2 wrote:I've always thought that his touchline antics have nothing but a negative effect. I read in Cloughies autobiography that he went out of his way to be friendly to the officials and told his players to do the same.

We are still in an excellent position, yes it's taking longer than expected for Steve to find his best line-up. But all this talk of us being "favourites " has probably set our expectations unreasonably high. Since our return to the Football League we have made steady progress which is surely better than boom or bust.

And, let's face it, it's very, very sweet looking down on that lot the other side of the M1.

I am seeing this from afar as I'm in Spain for a few days but I for one did not welcome Evans and his antics. He is an embarrassment to the club the fans and the owner. The only mildly amusement is seeing how long it takes for the ref to talk to him. Presumably if he was sent off last night he will get a touchline ban for at least one game further weakening his managerial control

Tawnystag wrote:If any of you have read 'The Journeyman' book you will know excactly how Evans runs the dressing room. He has 0% respect for players - no loyalty whatsoever, humiliates and solates key figures, unpredictable, eratic, telling players they are part his plans when secretly trying to sort out loan deals, playing childish mind-games to the point where him and Raynor become a bit of a joke.

There's a story about the Crawley team eating fish and chips on the coach on the way back from a game. Steve Evans was sulking and declined to eat but then changed his mind when he smelt them. He sent Raynor to the back of the bus to get his portion but they had all gone. Steve was apoplectic, cancelled their day off and had them in for training and intensive questioning over the fish and chips. Players who he thought were being dishonest about the chips were then dropped for the next few games. Funny and alarming in equal measures.

The turning point on Evans for me was Exeter at home last season and the run of games that followed. We surrendered a series of comfortable 1-0 leads by drastically changing tactics and sitting back in dominant games which ultimately cost us. I didn't like the way he continues to bad-mouth Murray yet it's clear for everyone to see that the best players in the squad are the ones that he brought in.

Tawnystag wrote:If any of you have read 'The Journeyman' book you will know excactly how Evans runs the dressing room. He has 0% respect for players - no loyalty whatsoever, humiliates and solates key figures, unpredictable, eratic, telling players they are part his plans when secretly trying to sort out loan deals, playing childish mind-games to the point where him and Raynor become a bit of a joke.

There's a story about the Crawley team eating fish and chips on the coach on the way back from a game. Steve Evans was sulking and declined to eat but then changed his mind when he smelt them. He sent Raynor to the back of the bus to get his portion but they had all gone. Steve was apoplectic, cancelled their day off and had them in for training and intensive questioning over the fish and chips. Players who he thought were being dishonest about the chips were then dropped for the next few games. Funny and alarming in equal measures.

The turning point on Evans for me was Exeter at home last season and the run of games that followed. We surrendered a series of comfortable 1-0 leads by drastically changing tactics and sitting back in dominant games which ultimately cost us. I didn't like the way he continues to bad-mouth Murray yet it's clear for everyone to see that the best players in the squad are the ones that he brought in.

Tawnystag wrote:If any of you have read 'The Journeyman' book you will know excactly how Evans runs the dressing room. He has 0% respect for players - no loyalty whatsoever, humiliates and solates key figures, unpredictable, eratic, telling players they are part his plans when secretly trying to sort out loan deals, playing childish mind-games to the point where him and Raynor become a bit of a joke.

There's a story about the Crawley team eating fish and chips on the coach on the way back from a game. Steve Evans was sulking and declined to eat but then changed his mind when he smelt them. He sent Raynor to the back of the bus to get his portion but they had all gone. Steve was apoplectic, cancelled their day off and had them in for training and intensive questioning over the fish and chips. Players who he thought were being dishonest about the chips were then dropped for the next few games. Funny and alarming in equal measures.

The turning point on Evans for me was Exeter at home last season and the run of games that followed. We surrendered a series of comfortable 1-0 leads by drastically changing tactics and sitting back in dominant games which ultimately cost us. I didn't like the way he continues to bad-mouth Murray yet it's clear for everyone to see that the best players in the squad are the ones that he brought in.

Tawnystag wrote:If any of you have read 'The Journeyman' book you will know excactly how Evans runs the dressing room. He has 0% respect for players - no loyalty whatsoever, humiliates and solates key figures, unpredictable, eratic, telling players they are part his plans when secretly trying to sort out loan deals, playing childish mind-games to the point where him and Raynor become a bit of a joke.

There's a story about the Crawley team eating fish and chips on the coach on the way back from a game. Steve Evans was sulking and declined to eat but then changed his mind when he smelt them. He sent Raynor to the back of the bus to get his portion but they had all gone. Steve was apoplectic, cancelled their day off and had them in for training and intensive questioning over the fish and chips. Players who he thought were being dishonest about the chips were then dropped for the next few games. Funny and alarming in equal measures.

The turning point on Evans for me was Exeter at home last season and the run of games that followed. We surrendered a series of comfortable 1-0 leads by drastically changing tactics and sitting back in dominant games which ultimately cost us. I didn't like the way he continues to bad-mouth Murray yet it's clear for everyone to see that the best players in the squad are the ones that he brought in.

Read the book. What stood out for me was despite Evans antics, all the players seem desperate to please him, a bit like a naughty youngster trying to please a father I suppose.